Jan. 31, 2013

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The first-degree murder trial of a Springfield man charged with fatally shooting his stepson will happen in Greene County.

Circuit Court Judge Dan Conklin has denied a defense motion to move the trial of William Richard Jones, according to online court records updated today.

Jones, now 65, is charged in the July 5 shooting death of his 14-year-old stepson, Trevor Reynolds. The Central High student was shot in the chest as he napped in his bedroom on East Livingston Street.

Public Defender Bryan Delleville filed the motion late last year, citing the "tremendous amount" of local newspaper and TV coverage of the case. He argued that would reduce the ability to find a fair and impartial jury.

On Monday afternoon, Delleville argued the need to change location during a 2-1/2-hour hearing.

Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson opposed the motion to move the trial out of Greene County. He argued that familiarity with a case isn't sufficient grounds to change the venue.

To ascertain the ability to find a jury, a “mock panel” of 14 potential jurors were interviewed one at a time. Only five remembered the case and just two recalled extensive details.

Both Delleville and Patterson acknowledged that media coverage is expected to increase during a trial.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Conklin said it “looks to me like we can probably get a jury here.” But, he wanted to review coverage by the News-Leader and local TV news stations before ruling on the motion.

Jones has been in the Greene County Jail, in lieu of a $250,000 bond, since the afternoon of the shooting.

No trial date has been scheduled. A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 21.